Vaccine comprising lactobacilli for treating prostate inflammation and benign prostate hyperplasias

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to vaccines for treating prostate inflammation and benign prostate hyperplasias (stages I and II) comprising  Lactobacillus  strains in an inactivated form and carriers and/or excipients commonly used in vaccine preparations.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vaccine comprising Lactobacillus strains useful in treating prostate inflammation and benign prostate hyperplasias (stages I and II).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The pathogenecity of certain Lactobacillus strains has been reported in 1938 [F. Marshall: Der Doderleinische Bacillus vaginalis als Endokarditiserreger, Zentr. Bact. Parasit. Kde. I. Abt. Orig., 141:153-159 (1938); E. Biocca és A. Sepilli: Human infections caused by lactobacilli, J. Inf. Dis., 81:112-115 (1947); W. Sims: A pathogenic Lactobacillus, J. Path. Bact., 87:99-105 (1964); B. Rosan and B. F. Hammond: Toxicity of Lactobacillus casei, J. Dent. Res., 44:783-787 (1965); M. E. Sharpe, L. R. Hill and S. P. Lapage: Pathogenic lactobacilli, J. Med. Microbiol., 6, 281-286 (1973).

G. Wied reported in 1952 [Zbl. Bact., 160:413 (1952)] that certain Lactobacillus strains show mucous membrane damaging activity. Rosan and Hammond [1965, ibid.] reported that, with Lactobacillus strains strongly pathogenic to mice, intradermal inoculation of bacteria both in living and in thermally inactivated states causes necrosis on the back of rabbits.

K. Újhelyi has found that necrosis can be induced also by Lactobacillus strains cultivated from vagina. Based on his observation, it can be stated that the body of the bacterium contains a toxin which is responsible for damaging the epithelia [Újhelyi K. et al.: Role of Lactobacillus in urogenital inflammations and their treatment with vaccination, Symposium cum participatione internationalis de Biocenosi Vaginae, Smolenie, 1983]. Certain strains, injected intradermally to the back of rabbits, cause necrosis of smaller or larger areas, while others cause necrosis only in higher concentration or do not cause necrosis at all. K. Újhelyi has found that rabbits can be immunized by vaccination against the necrotic effect. He vaccinated rabbits intramuscularly with vaccine produced from certain Lactobacillus strains. Six weeks later, he intradermally administered cell-suspensions prepared from strains that have been shown previously to be necrotic, and observed that necrosis was not caused or was only caused in a lesser degree than in the case of non-vaccinated rabbits.

Furthermore, K. Újhelyi has found that Trichomonas vaginalis contributes to the rise in vaginal pH by consuming lactic acid produced by Lactobacillus strains in the vagina, thereby promoting the over-proliferation of Lactobacillus strains. Consequently toxin is present in higher concentration which, by damaging the mucous membrane, causes cell necrosis.

Furthermore, it is known that Lactobacillus strains, because of their receptor inhibiting and antibiotic activity as well as pH-modifying effect, are antagonistic to pyogenic microorganisms [Reddy et al.: Natural antibiotic activity of Lactobacillus, Dairy Prod. J. 18:15-22 (1983); Salminen et al.: Lactic acid bacteria in the gut in normal and disordered states, Dig. Dis., 10:227-238 (1992)].

Recently, it has been shown that Lactobacillus strains can bind directly to T-lymhocytes since both the T-helper and T-killer cells have specific receptors for Lactobacillus strains. Furthermore, Lactobacillus strains promote the gamma-interferon production of the lymphocytes and the cytotoxic activity of the natural killer cells [De Simone C., et al.: Enhancement of immune response of murine Peyer's pothes by a diet supplemented with yoghurt, J. Immunopharmacol., 1:87-95 (1987)]. It has been shown that Lactobacillus strains aspecifically increase the production of IgM and IgG [Blocksma et al.: Adjuvant activity of lactobacilli, different effects of viable and killed bacteria, Clin. Exp. Immunol., 37:367-373]. Additionally, under experimental conditions, Lactobacillus strains show antitumour and macrophage-activating activity [Kato I. et al.,: Antitumor activity of Lactobacillus casei in mice, Gann, 72:517-523 (1983); Oda M. et al.: Antitumor polysaccharide from Lactobacillus sp., Agric Biol. Chem., 47:1623-1627 (1983)]. H. Rüttgers has found that immunostimulation by Lactobacillus strains causes a significant long-lasting rise in secretory immunoglobulin level in the vagina [Bacterial vaginitis: Protection against infection and secretory immunoglobulin levels in the vagina after immunization therapy with Gynatren, Gynecol. Obstet Invest, 26:240-249 (1988)].

Újhelyi of al. [1983, ibid.] used parenterally administered Lactobacillus strains for aspecific immunostimulation and observed that the Lactobacillus strains used, in contrast to other aspecific immunostimulation (e.g. by BCG, endotoxins etc.), show protective effect against certain bacterial toxins. This applies especially to toxic Lactobacillus strains.

In trials carried out with vaccines (Gynevac®, Gynatren®, Solco Trichovac®) made of strains cultured by Újhelyi it has been demonstrated that immunostimulation by Lactobacillus strains, in contrast to other therapeutic treatments, restores the biological balance of the vagina, normalizes the pH, decreases the number of pathogenic bacteria, and contributes to the propagation of Döderlein-flora (a mixed population of Lactobacillus strains capable of being cultivated from vaginal specimens). It is an accepted fact that inflammatory diseases of the vagina caused by bacterial and Trichomonas infections can be cured in this way more successfully than by other therapy and that such inflammatory conditions are a major cause of premature births. Therefore, the frequency of premature births can also be decreased by such therapy [see e.g. in Genitalinfektion der Frau (SolcoTrichovac/Gynatren), Geburtsch. u. Frauenheilk, 44:311 (1984); E. Lázár, Gy. Varga, I. Institoris and K. Újhelyi: Investigating the factors, especially vaccination with lactobacilli, influencing the premature births, in Kazincbarcika (in Hungarian), Magyar Nöorvosok Lapja (Journal of Hungarian Gynaecologists), 51:353-356 (1986); E. Lázár, Gy. Varga, I. Institoris and K. Újhelyi: Decreasing the ratio of neonates with small weight by lactobact vaccination of pregnant women (in Hungarian), Orvosi Hetilap (Physicians Weekly), 37:2263-2268 (1981), Rüttgers, 1988, ibid., K. Újhelyi, Gy. Philipp, Gy. Plank and V. Sági: The Trichomonas syndrome I (in Hungarian), Magyar Nöorvosok Lapja (Journal of Hungarian Gynaecologists), 36:433-442 (1973); Sharon et al., New England Journal, Dec. 28, 1995.].

More than 50% of men aged 50 or more suffer from prostate hyperplasia and/or prostate inflammation. In spite of numerous known and utilized therapies, treatment is often unsuccessful. Taking into consideration the known and generally accepted pathogenesis, it could not be supposed that such diseases can be healed with vaccines comprising Lactobacillus strains successfully.

The inventors of the present invention have, however, found that conditions in the prostate are favorable to the proliferation of Lactobacillus strains and that pathogenic lactobacilli can often be cultivated from patients suffering from chronic prostate inflammation and/or prostate hyperplasia. On this basis, therapeutic utilization of vaccines comprising Lactobacillus strains for treating such patients has been achieved.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to vaccines for treating prostate inflammations and benign prostate hyperplasias (stages I and II) comprising Lactobacillus strains in inactivated form and carriers and/or excipients commonly used in vaccine preparations.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of Lactobacillus strains for producing vaccines capable of treating prostate inflammation and benign prostate hyperplasias (stages I and II).

In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of Lactobacillus strains for treating patients suffering from prostate inflammation and benign prostate hyperplasias (stages I and II).

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of treating patients suffering from prostate inflammation and benign prostate hyperplasias (stages I and II) comprising administering an effective dose of a strain-suspension of Lactobacillus strains intramuscularly to a patient in need of such treatment.

In an embodiment of the method of the invention, the strain-suspension of Lactobacillus strains comprises a mixed population of the said strains in inactivated form.

The lactobacilli used in the vaccine of the invention are Lactobacillus strains used in the above-said vaccines Gynevac®, Gyantren® and SolcoTrichovac® that previously have been cultivated from women suffering from gynecologic inflammations of bacterial origin. The single cultivated strains can be use per se or in the form of a blend of the strains.

The vaccine of the invention can be produced by methods commonly used for preparing vaccines. Advantageously, the cultivated strains are stored in lyophilized form, then, before use, they are propagated by culturing in Man-Rogosa-Sharpe medium at 45° C.

The composition of the said medium and the preparation method are set forth below.

To 2300 ml of sterile water the following components are added sequentially, after dissolving the previously added component:

Bactotripton (Raenal) 30 g Lablemko (Reanal) 30 g K₂HPO₄ 6 g triammonium citrate 6 g sodium acetate 15 g glucose 30 g lactose 30 g maltose 9 g yeast extract (Reanal) 15 g Tween 80 3 ml Salt solution (composition see below) 15 ml

The obtained solution is adjusted to 3000 ml by the addition of sterile water, filtered on G4 filter, bottles in smaller volumes and sterilized at 121° C.

The composition of the above-said salt solution is as follows: 28.75 g of MgSO₄-7H₂O, 6 g of MnSO₄-2H₂O and 1.7 of FeSO₄-7H₂O dissolved in 250 ml of sterile water.

After culturing, the cells are harvested by centrifuging and are suspended in physiological saline solution and treated with formaldehyde. The inactivated cells are harvested and resuspended in physiological saline solution. The level of dilution is adjusted on the basis of the protein content of the suspension. The protein content of the vaccine (suspension) of the invention is at least 0.08 mg/ml, and may be up to 1 mg/ml or more, preferably from about 0.08 to about 0.32 mg/ml, more preferably about 0.16 mg/ml.

The dosage of the vaccine of the invention and the frequency of the administration depend on the conditions of the patient and the severity of the symptoms to be treated. The precise dose and frequency of administration should be specified by the practicing physician. During treatment, it is advantageous if the vaccine is administered intramuscularly in a volume of 1 ml, once a week for five weeks.

The following example is given for the purpose of illustration of the invention without the intention of limiting of the scope claimed.

EXAMPLE

Investigations were carried out with the vaccine of the invention by administering same to patients with a diagnosis of prostate inflammation and/or prostate hyperplasias (stages I and II). The patients were administered intramuscularly 1 ml of a vaccine comprising Lactobacillus strains of the invention once weekly for 5 weeks, without any other medical treatment. The results of the control examination carried out after this cure are summarized in the following Tables.

Number of the treated patients: 127

Diagnosis: prostate hyperplasia stages I and II

Condition of Time elapsed after the treatment the patients 4 to 8 weeks 2 to 4 months 6 months Healed 52 (40.94%) Worsening of the 60% of 94 Improved 47 (37.0%) condition was not examined patients Unchanged 28 (22.0%) observed in any of were symptom- Worsened 0 the patients. free.

Number of the treated patients: 168

Diagnosis: prostate inflammation

Condition of Time elapsed after the treatment the patients 4 to 8 weeks 2 to 4 months 6 months Healed 76 (45.23%) Worsening of the 70% of 79 Improved 61 (36.31%) condition was not examined patients Unchanged 31 (18.45%) observed in any of were symptom- Worsened 0 the patients. free.

As can be seen in the above Tables, a significant ratio of the patients were healed or their conditions improved essentially. 

1. A process for treating a patient suffering from prostate inflammation, benign prostate hyperplasia stage I, or benign prostate hyperplasia stage II, said process comprising vaccinating the patient with a vaccine, said vaccine containing an effective amount of a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus fermentum in its inactivated form.
 2. A method of treating a patient suffering from prostate inflammation, benign prostate hyperplasia stage I, or benign prostate hyperplasia stage II, said method comprising vaccinating said patient intramuscularly with an effective dose of a suspension of a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus fermentum in its inactivated form.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the patient is suffering from a benign hyperplasia stage I or II.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein said Lactobacillus strains previously have been cultivated from women suffering from gynecologic inflammations of bacterial origin. 